2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Reviews

The Lancer has been a steady and sturdy presence on the local market for many years; in that time it has gained a reputation for being a loyal and reliable friend, if not the most exciting one.

Japanese designed and built to a high quality, Mitsubishi Lancer is at the forefront in the reliability stakes, so has long been popular on the used-car scene in Australia.The Lancer began life as a small car, then gradually morphed into a medium model. From the new model launched in October 2007 it can be used as a family car if the kids aren’t yet into their hulking teenage years.Interior space is good in the front seats in all models. Rear seat headroom can be tight in the older hatches, but is generally fine in the sedans and wagons due to their extended rooflines.Lancer comes with a big variety of bodies: two-door coupes, three-door hatches, four-door sedans, five-door hatchbacks and five-door station wagons. Not all bodies were on offer at all times.Mirage shares most of its out-of-sight parts with Lancer, the name change is simply a marketing ployThree-door hatchbacks built prior to 1996 were called Lancers, but the name was changed to Mitsubishi Mirage with the introduction of the new model of that year.Mirage shares most of its out-of-sight parts with Lancer, the name change is simply a marketing ploy to try and create a new niche for the three-door. Imports of the Lancer-based Mirage ceased in 2004 although the name was reintroduced in 2013, this time in a small five-door hatchback.Ride comfort in the standard Lancers is generally good, though rough Australian backroads can sometimes knock them about. This improved with later models, but try for yourself if you do a lot of country driving.Engines are all four-cylinder units, with a big spread of capacities; 1.5, 1.8, 2.0 and finally 2.4 litres. The marketing strategy over the years saw the largest engine at any one time being first introduced in the upmarket models then gradually making its way down the line.The ultra-hot Lancer Ralliart and Lancer Evolution (Evo) models provide stunning performanceThe 2.4-litre powerplant has plenty of torque, giving the car excellent performance and safe overtaking, yet it doesn’t use a lot more fuel than the other powerplants.Manual gearboxes are all five-speed units. Automatic transmissions from 1996 had four-speeds. The auto with the 2.4-litre engine has tiptronic functions in case the driver wants to override the computer and get more revs out of the engine.If you do want real excitement, the ultra-hot Lancer Ralliart and Lancer Evolution (Evo) models provide stunning performance, but cost big bucks. However, the Lancer MR coupe of 1997 to 2004, while tamer than the Evo is still fun thanks to its firmer suspension and sharper steering.Spare parts and repair prices are about average for this class and the Australian Mitsubishi dealer network is widespread and efficient.The Lancer is relatively easy for the home mechanic to work on, with good underbonnet space and nothing particularly tricky in its layout.Insurance charges are about average for the class in all but the sportier variants. You may need to raise a big loan to cover an Evo if you’re under the age of 25.Though Mitsubishi has pulled out of local manufacture the company continues to operate as a major player here, now exclusively with imported cars. Lancer is at the vanguard of the new Mitsubishi Australia.If possible, start the engine when it is completely cold. It should fire up within a couple of seconds and idle smoothly and quietly straight away.If the engine puffs oily smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration it may be due for an overhaul.A manual gearbox should be slick and easy to useFeel for an automatic transmission that is slow to engage gear or is inclined to change up and down unnecessarily.A manual gearbox should be slick and easy to use. If not there could be troubles - fast changes down from third to second usually show the problem first.Rust normally only gets into the body following poor quality panel repairs, but look over the lower areas of the body and the bottom corners of the doors, tailgate or bootlid just in case. Also look at the surrounds of the front and rear windscreens.Check for panel repairs by looking for ripples in the panels; paint that doesn’t match from one panel to another; and tiny spots of paint on glass, badges, body trim and so on.Don’t even think of buying until you've had a full professional inspectionDo a complete check of all interior surfaces, in particular the tops of the dashboard and the rear parcel shelf that may have drive out and cracked.Look for rips in the seats, excess wear in the carpets and for damage in the luggage area.

Mitsubishi Lancer is a small to medium Japanese car designed and made to a high quality, making it one of the leaders in the reliability stakes.

No matter how schmick the car looks, though, at this sort of money there are probably one or two expensive time bombs lurking within it.

Quality, condition and service history are the most important things to consider when choosing a cheaper car for the young motorist.Buy the best car you can afford, in the best condition, with a solid service history and you shouldn't go wrong.Most young drivers, or their parents, usually have a limited amount of money to spend, which necessitates looking at older models to find the ones that fit. Buying a quality older car almost certainly means buying one from a Japanese carmaker, such as the CE Mitsubishi Lancer.Mitsubishi launched the CE Lancer in 1996 and it ran until 2004. Prices now range around $1500 for the earliest examples to as much as $7000 for the last ones. It's available in practical sedan and wagon body styles, and a coupe, which is likely to be the most appealing to young drivers.Two four-cylinder single overhead camshaft engines were offered. One was a 1.5-litre, the other a larger 1.8-litre unit, both of which offered a combination of solid performance and good fuel economy. The GLi was the entry model and came in sedan and coupe form.It came standard with power steering, cloth trim, full wheel trims, and a fairly basic two-speaker sound system. For more there was the GLXi sedan and wagon that came with central locking, power mirrors and four-speaker sound.IN THE SHOPThe Lancer has an enviable reputation for reliability, but it depends heavily on being well serviced. Walk away from any car that hasn't been properly maintained, even if it appears a cheap buy. Mechanics who regularly work on them say the Lancer gives little trouble, although they stress that it's important to change the cam-timing belt as per Mitsubishi's recommendation of 90,000 km.Older cars tend to get knocked about by owners who couldn't care less, so look closely for panel damage that has been poorly repaired. Under the bonnet look for oil leaks around the engine and gearbox.IN A CRASHGenerally, the Lancer is a strong little car that stands up well in crash testing, making it a safe choice for young drivers. Importantly, Mitsubishi added dual front airbags in 2001, which makes that a key consideration when shopping. ANCAP rated the dual airbag model at 3 stars.UNDER THE PUMPMitsubishi claimed the Lancer averaged around 6.5 L/100 km in their lab tests, which makes it an economical little car. It took 91-octane unleaded fuel and Mitsubishi gave E10 ethanol blend fuel a tick.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $20,730 to $26,950Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder; 69 kW/126 Nm 1.8-litre 4-cylinder; 86 kW/161 NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto, front-wheel driveEconomy: 6.5 L/100 km Body: 4-door sedan, 4-door wagon, 2-door coupeVariants: GLi, GLXi Safety: 3-star ANCAP

The current focus on petrol prices is apparently causing a fundamental shift in buying habits. If the latest new car sales figures are to be believed there is a significant trend towards smaller more fuel-efficient cars.That being the case there is no reason to believe there won’t be a similar shift in the buying pattern of used car buyers and cars like Mitsubishi’s proven Lancer could well be one of those used cars buyers turn to.The Lancer has been a popular small car for many years. The Lancer badge dates back to the 1970s when it was part of the then Chrysler family, but in the years that have followed it has become a well respected Mitsubishi name representing quality, reliability, affordability and style.Added to that a long history of success in rallying would have helped build its reputation considerably as well.Mitsubishi has maintained a steady as she goes policy with the Lancer, and why not when they’ve got a winner in their showrooms.The current car can be traced back to the late 1980s, although that shouldn’t suggest that it is mired in the past. The Lancer is a great little car that holds its own in the toughly contested small car sales race.Compared to other current small cars the Lancer isn’t the most stylish. In an era in which stylists are going for the carved from stone look with crisp edges and sharply defined shapes the soft and cuddly Lancer looks a little like it’s been styled for an older more conservative buyer.The problem with styling though is that it comes into fashion fast and can drop out of fashion just as quickly, and the jury is out on the current trend. The Lancer on the other hand, while making you feel like throwing on a cardigan, has stood the test of time quite well and still looks appealing even if it feels a bit like an old sock now.There were three body styles on offer in the Lancer catalogue, the four-door sedan, wagon and two-door coupe. If the sedan and wagon finds favour with young families, older couples, or those wanting a second car, the coupe is the one that younger buyers prefer.The GLi opened the range in sedan and coupe form, and came standard with power steering, cloth trim, full wheel trims, and a fairly basic two-speaker sound system.For more there was the GLXi sedan and wagon that came with central locking, power mirrors and four-speaker sound.If you wanted more in a coupe there was the sporty MR, which was standard with alloy wheels, side body skirts, fog lamps, power windows and a rear spoiler.In the GLi the power initially came from a 1.5-litre single overhead camshaft fuel-injected four-cylinder engine that pumped out 69 kW at 550 revs and 126 Nm of torque, but buyers of the GLXi and MR had the extra punch of a 1.8-litre SOHC engine that boasted 86 kW at 5500 revs and peak torque of 161 Nm.An update in 1999 saw the 1.8-litre engine replace the 1.5-litre unit in the GLi sedan and coupe.Both had the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto and drove through the front wheels.The Lancer has an enviable reputation for reliability. Mechanics who regularly work on them say they give little trouble, although they stress that it’s important to change the cam timing belt as per Mitsubishi’s recommendation of 90,000 km.Generally the Lancer is a strong little car that stands up well in crash testing, making it a safe choice for young drivers.If there’s a down side it is that they’re noisy. Expect a lot of road and engine noise, which can trick you into thinking something is wrong. Again experienced mechanics say it’s not unusual for owners to think they’ve done a wheel bearing when it’s only road noise they’re hearing.It’s simply that car companies tend not to spend much money on sound proofing of small cars and in most that means there’s a lot of road noise.The Lancer was rated about average in the latest annual survey of real life crashes. Crash protection improved with the addition of a driver’s airbag in the GLi and GLXi in 2001, the MR coupe got dual airbags at the same time.Louise Ryan bought her Lancer GLi coupe in 2004. She liked its looks, thought its performance was good, and preferred the idea of buying a new car rather than the risk of purchasing a used car. In the 11,000 km she has now done in it there have no problems and she’s happy enough with it to consider buying another one. Her only complaint is that there is little room in the rear when she needs to carry passengers.• four-cylinder fuel economy• middle of the road styling that will last• sporty coupe favourite of young buyers• zippy performance• reliable engines and gearboxes• high level of road noiseA good reliable small car that will give good service with a good turn of speed with miserly fuel consumption.

The current focus on petrol prices is apparently causing a shift in buying habits. If the latest new car sales figures are to be believed, there is a significant trend towards smaller, fuel-efficient cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer.MODEL WATCHCompared to other small cars, the Lancer isn't the most stylish. In an era in which the carved-from-stone look, with crisp edges and sharply defined shapes, dominates, the soft and cuddly Lancer looks as though it has been styled for an older, conservative buyer.The problem with styling, though, is that it moves in and out of fashion. But the Lancer has stood the test of time, and still looks appealing, even if it feels a bit like an old sock.There were three body styles on offer in the Lancer catalogue: the four-door sedan, wagon and two-door coupe. If the sedan and wagon find favour with young families and older couples, the sleek, sporty coupe is the one for younger buyers.The GLi opened the range in sedan and coupe form, and came standard with power steering, cloth trim, full wheel trims, and a fairly basic two-speaker sound system.For more, there was the GLXi sedan and wagon which came with central locking, power mirrors and four-speaker sound.  For coupe extras there was the sporty MR with alloy wheels, side body skirts, fog lamps, power windows and a rear spoiler.In the GLi, the power initially came from a 1.5-litre single overhead camshaft fuel-injected four cylinder engine, which pumped out 69kW at 550rpm and 126Nm of torque, but GLXi and MR buyers had the extra punch of a 1.8-litre SOHC engine which boasted 86kW at 5500 rpm and peak torque of 161Nm.A 1999 update saw the 1.8-litre engine replace the 1.5-litre unit in the GLi sedan and coupe. Both had the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto and drove through the front wheels.IN THE SHOPThe Lancer has a reputation for reliability. Mechanics who work on them say they give little trouble. But they say it is important to change the cam timing belt at 90,000km, as per Mitsubishi's recommendation.  Generally, the Lancer is a strong little car that stands up well in crash testing, making it a safe choice for young drivers.The current focus on petrol prices is apparently causing a shift in buying habits. If the latest new car sales figures are to be believed, there is a significant trend towards smaller, fuel-efficient cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer.  If there's a down side, it is that they're noisy, which can trick you into thinking something is wrong. Again, experienced mechanics say it's not unusual for owners to think they've done a wheel bearing when it's only road noise. It's simply that car companies tend not to spend much on sound proofing small cars and in most that means there's a lot of extra noise.CRUNCH TIMEThe Lancer was rated about average in the latest annual survey of real life crashes. Crash protection improved with the addition of a driver's airbag in the GLi and GLXi in 2001, with the sporty MR coupe getting dual airbags at the same time.OWNER'S VIEWLouise Ryan bought her Lancer GLi coupe new, back in 2004.  She liked its looks, thought the performance was good, and preferred the idea of buying a new car rather than the risk of purchasing a used car.In the 11,000 km she has now done in it, she's had no problems and is happy enough with it to consider buying another one. Louise's only complaint is that there is little room in the rear, so it's a bit of a squeeze when she needs to carry passengers.MITSUBISHI LANCER 1996-2004Sporty coupe favoured by young buyersFour cylinder fuel economyZippy performanceSuffers a high level of road noiseReliable engines and gearboxesRating14/20 Reliable small car with miserly fuel